Is insomnia catching? Not in the usual sense, but in some ways it seems to be, at least in our household full of insomniacs.

Both my husband and I struggle with sleep issues. Part of it is situational. With children who, collectively, do not leave room for a full eight hours of sleep, my body has adapted to being able to sleep less and still function. Function, but not well. Late nights and early mornings make for too little sleep in between. But having all three boys at school leaves room for daytime naps.

Of course, my body has taken that to extremes. On a weekly cycle, I range from up all night to sleeping during the boys’ school hours. Various stages between. To being up all day, and sleeping at night. This is, partially, because of my class on Saturday, which requires being up all day. Though, in any given week there is something I need to do during the day.

Genetically speaking, my boys got a double-dose of insomnia. So, at any one point one of the boys may have a sleepless night. This can be “catching” if that child makes enough noise in an unfortunate location, and thus wakes up one or more of his brothers.

Mark, on the other hand, is on medication that also “helps” with sleep. Maybe it’s his normal or maybe it’s the depression, but he also requires more than eight hours of sleep. Usually about ten. But sometimes he can’t sleep.

It goes round and round and round in our household.

I long for a sleep schedule that allows predictability and availability when I need it. One schedule. Not a cycle. I don’t know if my body is capable of it any more. I try and try and try, but I can’t seem to maintain it.